The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-01-21

him that had no suspicion of the dia
bolical project he was meditatins
against my life.
1t may appear strange to the reader
that these men were SO easily duPeG
but the fact was, none of them knew
any thing about navigation and al
were ignorant of every thing except
the most commonplace duties. Now
that had well digested plan in my
mind / was under much less apprehen'
sion and only longed for the time t.
come for putting it into operation.
CHAPTER KIN.
Having no other log-book than my
memory to refer to, pass over SIX
days, in which nothing occurred strik
ing enough for my recollection to 10
tain.
This brought Us to Sunday; and on
that day at noon we were. as nearly n
l can recall. in 81 degrees north lati.
tude and SO degrees west longitude.
In round numbers Bermuda lies in
latitude 81 degrees and longitude 81
degrees. This is close enough for my
purpose. We had consequently some
distance vet to run before we should
heave to of the coast of Florida. But
we had for five days carried strong
following wind with us. and were now
(heading west by south half SOUTH
driving eight or nine knots an hour
under fresh wind forward of the por,
beam.
The crew continued to behave with
moderation. The carpenter. it is true,
grew more rude and offensive as his
sense of Importance increased, and
johnson and Fish put themselves for.
ward disagreoably at times. but on the
whole we had little of which to com.
plain.
This Sunday afternoon Mr.. Robert.
son and his daughter came on deck.
was grieyed to see that his memory
was completely gone. His daughter
bore up bravely under this deep afflic-
ton. What touched me most was the
unlimited confidence she reposed in
me- knowing fully the perils of our
position and realizing that death might
await us at any hour, she was rs calm
and serene as though no danger
threatened us. 1t was exquisite ilattery
to me to feel her trust to witness the
comfort my presence gave her. to re-
ceive her gentle whispers that she had
no fear now; that l was her friend;
that she knew me as though our friend
ship was of old, old standing.
/ say. God bless her for her faith in
me! l look back and know that did
my best. She gave me courage,
heart and cunning: and So / owed my
life to her, for it was these things tina,
saved it.
She exactly knew the plans concert
ed by the boatswain and myself. and
was eager to help us; but l could find
no part for her.
However. this Sunday afternoon,
while l stood near her talking in low
voice, her father sitting in chair
that l had brought from the cuddy,
full in the sun, whose light seemed to
put new life into him-I said to her,
with a smile:
If tonight is dark enough the boat.
swain must be drowned"
"Yes," she answered. II know. /,
will not be too soon, you Think"
"No. shall not be easy until &C,
him slowed sway in the hold"
"You will see." she exclaimed,
'.that the poor fellow takes plenty to
eat and drink with him?'
"A good deal more than he wants is
already there" l answered. For the
last three days he has been dropping
odds and ends of food down the fore
hatch. Let the worst come to the
worst, he has smuggied in enough, he
tells me, to last HIM for a fortnight
Besides. the wa,er-casks are there"
"And how will he manage to slcep?''
"Oh, he'll coil up and snug himself
away anyhow. Sailors are never
pushed for a bedstead: any thing and
every thing serves. The only part OF
the job that will be rather difficult is the
drowning him. l don't know any thing
that will make a louder splash
and sink quickly, too. than a box Of
nails. The trouble is to heave it over
board without the man at the wheel
seeing ME do it; and 1 must contrive
to let him think that the boatswain is
aft before ] raise the splash. because if
this matter is not ship-shape and car
ried out cleyerly, the man. whoever he
may be. that takes the wheel will be
set thinking, and then get on to talk
ing. Now, not the shadow of sus-
picion must attend this"
MAY tell you how think the man
who is steering can be deccived?'
by all means"
She fixed her eyes on the sea and
said:
Il must ask some questions first
When you come on deck, will it be the
boatswain's or the carpenters turn to
60 downstairs"
1.-The carpenters. He must be
turned in before ! move"
"And will the same man be at the
wheel who s,eered the ship during the
carpenters watch?"
mo. He will be relieved by man
out of the por: watch"
Nov. l understand. What l think
is, that the man who comes TO take the
other ones place ut the wheel ought to
see the boatswain as he passes along
the deck. Ihc boatswain should stand
talking with You in full sight of this
man-that is, near the wheel, if the
night is dark-so that he can hear his
voice, if he can not distinguish his face;
and when all is quiet in the fore part
of the ship. then you and he should
walk away and stand yonder," point
ing, As she spoke, to the creak of the
poop.
listened to her with interest and
Some one must then creep up and
stand beside you. and the boatswain
must instantly slip away and hide him.
self. The case of nails ought to be
ready in one of those boats: you and
the person who takes the boatswain's
nlaca nnst then on tn the ho2S and